goof
nounverbattested in dialogue
- //ɡuːf//
A mistake or error.
noun
- 1
informalA mistake or error.
I made a goof in that last calculation.
- 2
informalA mistake or error. An error made during production which finds its way into the final release.
- 3
informalA foolish and/or silly person; a goofball.
Your little brother is a total goof.
- 4
slangA rapist.
Etymology
Perhaps from dialectal English goff (“foolish clown”), from earlier goffe, in which case further etymology is uncertain. Perhaps from Middle English goffen (“to speak in a frivolous manner”), possibly from Old English gaf, ġegaf (“base; wanton; lewd”, adjective), ġegaf (“buffoonery; scurrility”, noun), gaffetung, golfettung (“buffoonery; mockery”). Compare English dialectal gauffin (“lightheaded; foolish; giddy”), Scots gaff, gawf (“to talk loudly; babble”), Scots gaffaw (“a loud laugh”). Alternatively, perhaps from Middle French goffe (“awkward; stupid”). Compare also Spanish gofo, Italian goffo.
verb
- 1
To make a mistake.
It's my fault. I goofed.
GCN is in a sticky situation because we goofed and bought 10 pounds of a type of wax that we cannot use.
- 2
To engage in mischief.
We were just goofing by painting the neighbor's cat green.
Forms
- plural
- goofs
- past tense
- goofed
- past participle
- goofed
- present participle
- goofing
- third person singular
- goofs